According to its website, Slide's goal is to build communities that allow virtual goods to be created and distributed. It cites forecasts predicting that the market for virtual goods will reach $1.6 billion in the US this year.

No backing down now, Google's aiming to make their planned social network sticky with games. They must be jealous of Facebook's ability to share game events with friends, at least, jealous of the reaching people in this manner.

Google becoming a seller of virtual goods? I'll believe that when I see it, how far from search can Google fall?